How to Make Bone Stock

Bone stock is easy to make and a great way to supply calcium and minerals to your dog. I also like to make bone stock because nothing goes to waste and the end product is very nutritious. So save your chicken bones and get ready to fire up the crock-pot as I show you how to make chicken bone stock.

What do you need to get started making bone stock?

crock-pot

chicken bones

enough water to cover the chicken bones

1-2 tablespoons of organic Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar

48-72 hours of patience as it cooks

Bone Stock is Easy to Make

Save all your chicken bones and turkey bones for that matter. Put them all in your crock-pot and add enough water to cover the bones. Then add a tablespoon or two of organic Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar to the mix and set your covered crock-pot on low. Allow it to cook for 48-72 hours. Check it every day and add a little water if needed. Allow the bone stock to cool. After the bone stock is cool you will find that the bones crumble easily and are soft.

When we prepare bone stock for ourselves we strain out the bones and herbs and save the clear stock. We freeze it or refrigerate it for use later in soups and stews.

For your dog I recommend blending it in a blender or food processor. Pulverizing the bone stock makes a highly nutritious calcium rich ingredient to use for dog food recipes. As you can see it turns into a mineral rich “bone shake”, yum!

Comments

This is a great idea!!!!!!!!! I can’t wait to try it. ( I never fed my Dog any bones. Vet told me that doing so can be very dangerous, due to the sharpness of the bones, and that this could puncture or damage my dogs stomach) But i find this to be extreamely helpful!!!! I will try it!

The raw beef yeast starvation & cooked chicken receipes call for Dinovite & Supromega supplements. The cooked ground beef receipe calls for Dinovite & Lickochops supplement (which was suggested that I buy for 2 of my 4 poms scratching issues back in February). My friend whose daughter works for a vet said never feed raw meat because it could make my dogs deafly sick so I didn’t. Now I see you have cooked receipts. (1.) Why is the Supromega used for the first two and the Lickochops for the other. (2.) How much of the bone stock do you use in the receipes? (3.) My two girls are only 5 lbs so their normal feeding would be 1/4 cup and that might be OK but when I first start feeding them the meat dog food how can half of that be enough for them to eat for 24 hours?

I like to feed the Supromega fish oil when dogs have yeast infections and excessive itching. The extra omega 3 fatty acids in the Supromega fish oil seem to help speed recovery.

The vet comment is wrong. I feed both cooked and raw to my dogs and they do well on both. If you are concerned about feeding raw then just feed the cooked recipe and don’t sweat it. Your dogs will do well on cooked dog food.

I make the dog food recipes in bulk. So I would take the bone stock and add all of it to one recipe.

Ed, I first thought I’d do the raw beef recipe and I bought the LickOChops, but then I decided to do the cooked chicken recipe because my two shih tzus seem to prefer chicken better. Can I use the LickOChops in the chicken recipe instead of the Supromega?

I did the same thing! I bought the Dinovite and LickOChops. I will use the Dinovite also, but do you think it’s ok that we will be doubling up on the Omega 6 fatty acids? Once I’m done with the LickOChops I will buy the Supromega for future recipes.

I have been doing the stock bit for years but I also use any beef bones I can get from the butcher and I add carrots and garlic.
To all of you that use leftover chicken to add to the stock make sure that the chicken was not originally made too spicy or your dog may get the runs.
And now, good eats for Fido…!

Just found your site and can’t wait to see how our pups like the recipes. We have a yellow lab/golden retriever/ austrailian shep mix (Max) and a black lab/ italian grey hound mix (Mollie). I’ve read and read about not giving dogs veggies/fruit. We have 4 kids under 7 and I will admit the dogs get what ever drops on the floor veggies and all. If we aren’t careful they will even snag a banana or melon out of a little ones hand. I have yet to find anything either of the dogs won’t eat so I will be more diligent about keeping them away from the fruits and veggies. Thanks for all the great info.

Sorry, Ed I meant chicken bone stock. I am using the homemade chicken and homemade venison. I am using dinovite, sumeromega (in the chicken) and lick o chops as directed. I made bone stock out of my left over chicken parts but not sure if it is an additive or a substitue for one of the supplements. I would also like to use the organic coconut oil but have the same question. Is it a substitue supplement or an additive? I love your work and thank you so much for helping us out with nutrious altenatives for our dogs. I have four dachshunds and two have chronic health problems. I am so eagar to see how much this improved diet helps thier overall health.

Thank you for the answer! I tried but it is too high. I am thinking that maybe in the oven, cause that iss electric and I can control the temperature better… Is it correct that your crock pot has a low temperature of about 175 farenheit?

Thanks for your wonderful recipes. I’ve been feeding my dogs raw for 2 months now and I am amazed at how great they look and how much better their allergies have gotten. I just finished making this bone broth recipe and used it like gravy on their dinners. They LOVED it!

I always seem to cook for my dogs, regardless of the “Kibble” I add, lol. I CAN NOT STAND feeding them store bought dog food, but i’m afraid of tooth decay. How would you deal with that?
I know they need something “hard” to work away the plaque. What do you recommend?

These meat based dog food recipes help prevent tooth problems. The kibble dog food contributes to the tooth problems. You will find when you feed your dogs these recipes their teeth will be nice and clean.

My dog, Bailey is a poodle-schnauzer cross that was diagnosed with diabetes 2 years ago. I have found that a raw diet has kept her sugar levels down. I have been bouncing between store bought and homemade food, but I am afraid that my homemade version is not supplying the nutrients needed. A Holistic Vet, that I recently went to, recommended a diet of 40% lean meat, 60% cruciferous vegetables. Supplementing with calcium, chromium zinc and kelp powder. Which recipe do you feel I should use, and is the Dinovite, lickochops and Suproega ok to use for diabetic? for the 40/60 split, should I add more of the supplements?

I’m so glad I found your site! Our black lab mix [ I think he’s mixed with great dane or something because he weighs in at 118 pounds ] is in real need of Something. A few weeks ago he started throwing up several times a week. Vet gave him Pepcid and a small bag of food for “his intestinal tract” and said to keep him from eating grass. Didn’t solve the problem. Now he doesn’t want to eat his regular dog food but he is Really Hungry. Out of desperation and what I had in the house, I gave him some chicken, rice, and canned pumpkin tonight. Then I came across your site!!! I’ll go to store tomorrow and make him a meal. He will be SO happy 🙂 Thank You.

I truly apologize if this has already been asked and answered but here goes 🙂 –
If I add the bone stock to either homemade dog food recipe,do I still add the dinovite and lickochops? Thank you so much for caring so much about the fur-faces of this world!

Can I use the regular apple cider vinegar I have in my pantry? I don’t have the “raw” vinegar branch you suggest here. I presume you have a reason for this particular one. Also, is it ok to put the chicken skin in the pot with the bones?

I just have one baby I cook for. I don’t have that many bones at one time and was wondering about putting them in the freezer until I could accumulate enough to make it worth leaving the crock on for three days. Have you ever kept the bones in the freezer until you are ready to make the stock?

I am just making your cooked chicken recipe for the first time. Would it be possible just to cook the chicken legs, bones and all, in the crock pot until the bones were soft, then run it all through a food processor at the same time? If so, at what point would I add the apple cider vinegar? Also, If I am adding the bone stock, do I still need all the eggs (shells)?

Thank you! Excited to try your recipes and products!
Forgive me if this is the second posting of this comment. I wasn’t sure if it posted the first time.

I made the chicken/rice/egg recipe and added in the dinovite. My dogs are healthy and do not appear to have any allergies or skin conditions. Do I still add the Supromega and/or Licochops to the recipe?

Hi Ed- My girls have been on your diet with the hamburger for the last month. I had to cut a nutrient and think this may fix it. In starting with your natural diet and the dinovite – I found that one of my girls seems to be allergic to or not tolerate egg well. I can get by with a meal or two then she gets the runs. Would the chicken stock work as a substitute for the calcium in the eggs or do I need to get them the calcium supplement that Dinovite offers instead? I’ve also noticed they are getting stubborn about the powered dinovite – would the liquid version maybe go over better?

I’m not sure why you think the eggs are causing loose stool because eggs generally have the opposite effect. I would add the calcium supplement to avoid a calcium deficiency. You can use the Dinovite liquid or the Dinovite powder both work well. I mix the powder into the whole batch and my dogs love it. The enzymes in Dinovite also active and start working on the food and this is great for dogs.

Thanks. I will order the calcium supplement with the next order. Pepper gets the runs with the egg. I couldn’t figure out what she had the allergic reaction with at first. I would give the girls an omelet- Pepper would get the runs- I tried cutting out the milk and the cheese and there still seemed to be an issue- so I cut them out. The second batch of food I made them (they are small – so I make a half batch) – I put in a dozen eggs instead of 9. She got the runs after a few days. I thought gee- it must be the egg. I made up an emergency batch with all but the egg – and she firmed right back up. So a bite or two – no problem – a meal or two and she starts to have problems. I was putting the dinovite on when I served it – since it says it’s active and heat can kill it. I do try to mix it in when I serve it, but maybe if I mix it in as a batch it would be better. I will try on the next batch. Thanks for the site and the tips – with all of the food & treat recalls – I would much rather make them their food and know what I’m giving them. 😀

I have been feeding my dogs “yorkies” with boiled or roasting chicken for years but I never added eggs. When I try to add some they wont eat it. Chicken stock I use as well and the bone ends but I avoid the skin and always remove it before serving. I have the feeling that this would be to fatty for them as well as the drippings from roasting. Is it ok to put some spices like salt while cooking?
I would like to try your products and mix it with the meat from now on or even try the raw meat. Do I need to start this like you recommend /fasting first/. I was missing in this diet all the omega 3 &6 and vitamins and my dogs are not that healthy, they have allergies, hip problem, bad breath etc…

Have you ever used a pressure cooker to make the bone stock instead? I have made chicken stock in about 30 minutes with my pressure cooker in the past and I remember the bones crumbling noticeably, but I don’t know for sure if they were broken down enough to be put in a blender or not at that point.

Hi Ed,
I came across your website tonight and I’ve got a couple questions. I have a doxie who is 11 years old and most of his life has been on canned and kibble food. Although, he has not been on any kibble food for almost 2 years. His canned food is limited ingredient, grain free chicken and sometimes beef. Well he’s had stomach problems like waking up with an upset tummy and wanting to eat grass off and on for about 4 years now. So I decided to switch him to raw. I bought Stella and chewys raw beef patties and started him on those. The stomach issues never really went away. So I took him to the vet, it showed elevated pancreas enzymes, but everything else, including urine was good. He had to have oral surgery for his teeth and since then….his stomach is a mess. And he does not even like the sight of his raw food, let alone eat….even if he is hungry. So, I want to start making his food, but I am new to this.
1. Should I stay away from beef just because it tends to be fattier?
2. Can I omitt the rice, because he seems to have grain allergies
3. Also due to my complete lack of knowledge on dog teeth, after a very expensive surgery, he only has 10 left! I know I’m a terrible pet mother! 🙁 Is the bone meal at all crunchy?
4. He’s been on boiled chicken and a little pumpkin with veggies for about two weeks and he still wakes up with a REALLY loud gurgling tummy and wants grass. In your opinion, do you think he might be allergic to chicken?
Any info will help,
Thank you so much!

Hello. thinking about switching my older dogs to a cooked or raw diet – haven’t decided which one yet. can the bone stock be frozen in either ice cube trays or something else to make it into a frozen treat to give dogs during the summer?
Thanks!

Does adding a few beef marrow bones work well with this? Will they break down enough to run them through the blender? Thanks for continuing to monitor the website and answer questions for the “newbies”!

Okay so I am new to the homemade dog food world. My poor Liam has always had bouts of vomiting or regurgitation. Random and far and few. But it happened. Vet labeled it as gerd. Fine we put him on pepsid. Last xmas however it turned worse. He wasn’t keeping very many meals down. First few days I figured he was fed table food when everyone was over for xmas party. After a week called vet and we raised the pepsid dose. About 3 weeks I said it’s time for x rays. Vet says his valve in esophagus is damaged. So….drugs for that. Also started grinding up hi dry food and wetting it. Everything was great! After a few months of healing and being on meds I decided to try whole dry kibble again. Kept it down great! Almost a year later and here we are again with not keeping meals down. Call vet and he says it may be mega esophagus and could be a neurological disease causing it. $300 blood test to see if it is positive for this disease and the treatment for it is more meds to help keep food down. Haven’t done the test yet. I started grinding up dry food again and adding broth and he is keeping it down. Vet agreed that the test isn’t necessary if he is doing well with his food. I have even taken him off of his medicine and its been 2 weeks. I am putting the blame of his condition on dry kibble. He eats a great high quality kibble but it still sucks apparently for poor Liams belly. I have not started home cooking for him yet. I am still researching vital nutrients and good meats and veggies and finding grain free recipes. I want to start with cooked meals for now and later try to switch to raw. I don’t want to grind bones and meat. I don’t want to buy a grinder and all that right now. I am super overwhelmed with what to do, what not to do, make sure there is enough of this but not too much of the same thing. I am going to start with chicken. I want to make this bone broth to add to his food for sure. With that being said..I want to start this process with cooking a whole chicken. Any thoughts how to start this whole thing so I can have the meat from the chicken and the bones and broth? Thanks for any tips and advice!

Manda, You may want to try starting off with the “Easy Raw Dog Food Recipe” because it has less “moving parts” and is a good starter recipe. With your dog’s condition try to stick with raw because he will digest it easier than cooked.

Well I have been buying the fresh pet select food. Cooked food comes in a big roll. He keeps that down and I have taken him off his medicine and all is going very well. He isn’t even bloated really. Usually burps a lot. Hasn’t been doing that since this food. So I want to switch to homemade for sure but want to keep it with the cooed first. Since I know he is tolerating it well. I will go from there after I get the hang of home prepared food and switch to raw. I know I want to keep him grain free. So if I cook a whole chicken do I need to pull the chicken off the bone after it is done then continue cooking the bones? Or keep cooking the while thing in crock pot on low till bones are soft and easy to mash up? I certainly a precise any and all advice.

About Us

My name is Ed Lukacevic and I'm an incurable animal lover! I have spent my life working with birds, reptiles, horses and especially dogs. Optimum nutrition for the animals in my care has been my passion.

Ads

Archives

Recent Posts

homemadedogfood.com

Our goal is to help you feed your dog the healthiest food possible. We believe the best dog food is made at home with healthy ingredients. Reward your dog today with healthy, tasty dog food you make in your own kitchen.